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The grass may seem greener on the other side…or in another contract!

 

There’s better and worse contracts..but

 

The first sight of dummy is no time to wish you were in a different contract. (Well, a one second wish is permitted!) It is also no time to think your contract is going to be a breeze. On the following deal, you are in 4 with a combined 31 hcp and you are told that there is a friendly trump break. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Well, not everyone made this contract. So, the pressure is on!

 

 

 

West leads 5. Plan the play. Trumps break 3-2 and on the third round, East discards showing a liking for spades.

Come on. When your partner supported hearts, you had at least a passing thought of looking for slam, especially if partner was maximum for their heart raise.

 

You were playing a strong no-trump system. So, your partner could have a weak no-trump. Indeed, if they are balanced, in your one second “I wish” when dummy appeared, you “wished” you were in 3NT where you have 9 top tricks and plenty of chances for a couple more. Slam? Well, you have 31 hcp between the two hands but you are glad you are no higher than 4.

It’s time, though, to be realistic. You have to make 10 tricks at least and that is by no means certain. You have possibly a loser in spades, two in diamonds and another in clubs.

So, you can win the trump lead and draw trumps. No shocks. A friendly 3-2 break with East liking spades with their first discard. There’s more than one way to play such a deal though you want the opposition to open up a suit for you.

The big “no-no” is to take the diamond finesse (low to Q). Certainly, you have 10 tricks if it works but that is only half the time…and there are so much better options this time.

 

These were the four hands:

 

 

 

Yes, low to 8 if East plays low would work but there is no need to rely on the defence. You can afford three losing tricks and should be prepared to lose that number in securing 10 winners. So, cash the AK of both black suits and then exit in one of them. Since East had shown interest in spades, confirmed by West’s club discard on the second round, exiting with the losing club seems a very good idea. West will be left on lead with only minor cards and will be forced to concede a ruff and discard by playing a 4^th club or by leading into AQ. Either way, that’s 10 tricks for the declarer, rather relieved not to have gone looking for slam.

Note that the same line should be taken if West had led their singleton spade. Be very wary about taking the spade finesse. South would not be able to recover if they lost the first two tricks to the Q and a ruff, as long as West exits with a trump.

Even at Easter, the “egg” will be on the face of a finesser!

 

This deal is a perfect example of why 31 high card points is rarely enough for a small slam when neither partner has a short side- suit.

 

I hope you all enjoy your Easter whether or not it is at the on-line bridge table. We will return afterwards with more interesting deals, very likely ones you may encounter over the next few days.

 

Richard Solomon

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